Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC Cedar 2 Members in Joplin, Missouri

AmeriCorps NCCC Cedar 2 Members in Joplin, Missouri
By: Samantha Czerkas
 
AmeriCorps NCCC team Cedar 2, in addition to three other NCCC teams, was sent to Joplin, Missouri on Disaster Relief. The team has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Jasper County Long Term Recovery Committee. The team arrived in Joplin on August 1st and is returning to Vinton on August 27th.  Over the course of the four weeks, the four NCCC teams have put in ten hour work days, working from 8:00am- 6:00pm, six days a week.
 
After arriving in Joplin, Cedar 2 had a Triage Training Orientation all day with FEMA representatives. The importance of FEMA’s role in Joplin was made known and Cedar 2 was excited to get into work mode to help the survivors of the disaster. Upon completion of training on August 3rd, the team toured the city of Joplin to see the destruction, and gain a better understanding of the devastation in the city.
 
Over the past four weeks, Cedar 2 has begun the process of Case Management for FEMA and The Jasper County Long Term Recovery Committee. The task at hand was to call over 10,000 individuals and families registered with FEMA, and set up visits to assess unmet needs survivors may have. In addition, the meetings act as the initial step to case management, creating a triage of priority for the individuals, and gathering all necessary information for Case Managers to take over. Teams were provided with a resource guide to non-profit organizations in the area to refer survivors to if they have any unmet needs.
 
The deployed NCCC teams enjoyed the experience they have gained, by being able to connect and interact with hundreds of people. Every day is a challenge, but is also a chance to grow, and the four NCCC teams in Joplin have learned a lot about themselves, FEMA, and trying to overcome tragedy.